In a fearless financial move, a number of Matamoras men mortgaged their homes to raise $8,323 to buy a firetruck in 1937, near the end of the Great Depression, for Matamoras Hose Co. No. 1 — now known as the Matamoras Fire Department.

"They wouldn't do that today," said past Chief Norman Krause, 86. Krause joined the department in 1947 and is still a member 66 years later.

His father-in-law mortgaged his house to help buy the Ward LaFrance ladder truck with detaching ladders on the sides.

"We needed it because we couldn't reach the top of the Matamoras School and some churches," Krause said.

The truck was taken out of service in the 1980s and sold to a restorer who later sold it to a collector in south New Jersey. In 2012, the collector died, and the estate returned the truck to Matamoras.

The truck, now used in parades, was parked outside the department's banquet hall welcoming old-timers like old friends Saturday, at the 102nd anniversary celebration of the department.

The department didn't celebrate its 100th anniversary, because it was in a financial bind after former department members were caught stealing money from bingo fundraisers.

"It didn't feel right to celebrate at the time," said Scott Gillett, department vice president.

The anniversary dinner was attended by widows of former firefighters, Matamoras Borough council members, Eastern Pike Regional Police representatives and many members from years gone by, all with a story to tell.

Asked about a memorable call, many talked about the ice jam of 1981, which caused flooding in Matamoras and Port Jervis, N.Y.

Gary Babb, a member since 1974, recalls being out at 2 a.m. shining a light toward the river to check on the ice jam.

"I heard the ice start making a sound," Babb said. It was the moment the ice broke. Suddenly, water and icebergs were overflowing from the river banks and pouring into Port Jervis and Matamoras.

He jumped into a truck and narrowly escaped as the ice flow chased him down the street.

"I hope I never see that again," said Babb, himself a former chief, and son of former Chief Edward R. "Pete" Babb.

Gary Babb, 57, has been going to the firehouse since he was 3 years old. Today he is the Matamoras emergency management coordinator. "This is my life. The fire department and emergency management," he said.

And he hopes others will consider making it part of their life, too. He says the fire department needs more members and that membership is a great way to give back to the community.

And the experience comes with camaraderie that feels like family, current Chief Greg Fean said. The department has some 25 active members and around 60 inactive members living across the country, Fean said.